


A million years a minute

by Akeara4



Category: Misfits
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Time Travel, War, War Era, World War I, World War II
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-03-30
Updated: 2012-03-30
Packaged: 2017-11-02 18:45:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/372150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akeara4/pseuds/Akeara4
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nathan disappears one and mysteriously reappears a few days later by his grave. He's reading a book (something no one thought he'd even been able to do) And suddenly very mature. He tells them that he was paralyzed for the few days because of a scuffle with another guy with powers. However, he seems to have journals with him from over 200 years ago.<br/>Told mostly from Simon's perspective.<br/>Time travel and character growth. May eventually lead to simon/nathan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A million years a minute

 “He’s been gone for days.” Simon whispered to the group as they all changed back to their normal clothes.

“Well, wha’ ya’ want us ta’ do abou’ it?” Kelly sighed. “We don’ exactly, know where he is, ya? He’ll show up eventually. Then I ca’ punch ‘im for worryin’ us.”

“She has a point.” Curtis chimed in. “We don’t have a clue where to look.”

Simon sighed. Nathan wasn’t answering his mobile either.

“I’m still going to try to look for him...” Simon mentioned softly and the rest of them nodded.

“We can all split up.” Alisha offered. “He’s probably drunk in some bar or something.” She added. They finished getting dressed and all left to look.

Simon turned invisible and began to check basic places the immortal could be.

He checked the bar. No Nathan.

He checked the bridge. No Nathan.

He swung around the club they’d been drugged at. No Nathan.

He eventually went to his grave.

Nathan was sitting against his headstone, which hadn’t been removed for some unknown reason, and reading a book, it seemed. Simon honestly didn’t even know Nathan could read.

He turned visible again and started walking towards the reading man. Nathan closed the book and looked up at him wide eyed, as if Simon’s very existence was a dream and Nathan was assuring himself of its reality.

“Barry!” He said, his face turning almost to how it usually was. Almost- he looked more serious and... nostalgic?

“Nathan! Where have you been?” Simon questioned, slightly worried at the way Nathan was acting. What could have possibly happened to him in a couple days to make him even slightly mature?

“Oh, you know, went to a bar. Got pissed.” His accent seemed... off. “And what have you been doing this long while, Barry?”

Simon thought for a second. Long while? It’d been two days. And Nathan’s grammar seemed almost proper.

“Nothing. You had us worried.”

Maybe it was an ability. Like Rachel’s, Simon thought.

“Sorry about that. I’ll have you know nothing important happened.” He assured. He proceeded to jump up and wrap an arm around Simon jokingly in one movement. “I bet you missed me, Barry dear~!” He taunted before releasing his arm and beginning to walk to the community center. “You didn’t touch any of my stuff, did you?”

Simon sighed and followed behind him, texting the others that he found the annoying twat.

“No one could if they wanted to. Your cove smells like spunk.” Simon retorted, seeming proud of his backlash. Nathan smiled proudly and wiggled his eyebrows at Simon.

“You would know, Barry.” he joked.

“My name’s not Barry...” Simon mumbled finally now that he realized that Nathan was okay.

Nathan chuckled and mumbled something that Simon was sure wasn’t even English. It wasn’t long before the others showed up.

Kelly greeted Nathan’s arm with a heavy punch.

“Wha’ the hell were ya doin’? Ya scared us half ta death, ya hear?” he yelled and he simply smiled at her.

“I got raped on the streets and brought to a brothel where I was forced to sell my body for freedom!” He accused jokingly. Kelly hit him again.

“Ah’m serious!” She yelled. But even her yelling and hitting couldn’t wipe the giant smile off his face.

“I missed you guys.” He stated, and it wasn’t in the same tone as everything else had been. There was almost a pain behind it, Simon noted.

“We missed you too.” Curtis said awkwardly, obviously sensing the usual jokester’s sudden seriousness. “What happened?”

“I met someone with powers.” He told obviously holding something back. “We had a scuffle and I wasn’t able to do much for a couple days.” Simon had to really concentrate to be able to tell that he was holding something back. Everyone else seemed thoroughly convinced. When had Nathan gotten so good at lying?

“What was his power?” Simon asked, testing.

“Paralysis.” Nathan answered quickly as if it was rehearsed. Almost as if he had rehearsed it for years. Simon tried for another question.

“Then why were you at your grave?”

The question brought strange looks to both Simon and Nathan, as they didn’t know where he was found.

“I felt like looking back on life.. and death.” He added with a shrug. “I found out the meaning of life if you’re curious.”

Simon sighed. It wasn’t a real answer, but it would have to do.

“Is that all you guys are gunna ask?” He asked expectantly.

“What happened to the guy?” Curtis asked as he turned to walk back to the community center. Everyone began to follow. Nathan shrugged in response.

“Don’t know. Don’t even know what he looked like.” It was the most honest answer Smon could imagine.

Kellys face contorted for a moment and Nathan seemed to stiffen. She stared up at him in shock.

“You fookin’ killed ‘im?!?” She yelled. Everyone gaped. Simon had been sure he was telling the truth too.

“What the bloody hell?!?” Curtis also yelled, staring down at Nathan in shock. “Are you trying to get us arrested? Why the bloody hell did you kill him?!?”

Nathan actually kept a mostly collected face, which surprised Simon almost as much as what happened next.

“I didn’t kill him. He fell off the rooftop. With me.” He said. Kelly stared at him in confusion.

“Wha’ the fook are ya doin’?” She asked, her face contorting in confusion worse each sentence.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He said confidently. “Any more questions?” He joked, ignoring Kelly’s confused glare.

They started to walk again and Kelly turned to Simon worriedly.

“He’s thinkin’ in fookin’ French!” She whispered just loud enough for Simon to hear. “I din’t know he even knew French!”

“I didn’t either.” Simon responded, slightly in shock. What the hell was going on with Nathan?

Nathan’s head turned to them as he walked and he smirked.

“Learned it a while back.” He laughed “Find it sexy, _Mon amour?_ ” He purred in a perfect French accent, sticking his tongue out playfully. Curtis and Alisha looked at each other questioningly.

“You heard us?” Simon questioned accusingly, but still in his small voice.

“Pfft, Of course, Barry. I’ve got ears like an... I’ve got great ears.” He said, unable to produce a coherent metaphor. “So how’s the melon-fucking?” He added, bringing the serious conversation to a halt.

“I don’t fuck melons!” Simon argued, sighing in defeat.

“Shouldn’t everyone be going home now? The only person who really needs to be going to the community center still today is me, and that’s just ‘cause I live there.” Nathan pointed out. “I know you guys love me and all, but stalking me home is just creepy.” he added.

“My house is this way too, you fooker!” Kelly retorted with a punch to the arm. Simon got an idea and turned down a street.

“I’ll be leaving then.” He waved goodbye before walking around another corner out of their sights. he then turned invisible and took a shortcut to the community center. He was going to figure out what was wrong with Nathan even if he had to spy to do it.

It wasn’t long before he caught up with Nathan and followed silently behind him. The others had parted to go home and he was walking to the community center alone.

Nathan hummed to himself, seemingly proud at what he had convinced them of, as he entered the community center. Simon followed close behind him as he walked past the cove and to a locked door. He picked the lock (When had he learned to do that?) and walked inside, closing the door quickly behind him. Simon was stuck waiting outside the room as Nathan moved some furniture, it seemed, and slid something made of stone across the floor before returning from the room.

Nathan was carrying a fairly large pile of books, all really old and leatherbound, that looked somewhat like the journals you’d find in museums of World War I or something. He placed the pile down my his mattress before pulling one out and looking at it. He opened it to the first page and started reading. It was only an hour or so before he left for the bathroom.

Simon wasted no time as he sat down and looked at the book. The page it was opened to was written in what could only be described as nathan’s handwriting.

_August 23, 1813_

_The British are still trying to take Canada from America. I think I’m going to sign up for the battle front. I know we don’t get Canada in the end, but it’s easier to die in battle than of hunger, so I guess I have no choice. I tattooed myself with the date, only 199 years to go and I can see my friends again. I know I had hopes of magically coming back to my time before, but it’s been 20 years. I can’t stay hoping forever. I figure I’ll just go to war, cause what’s a better weapon than a soldier who can’t die?_

_I miss them._

_I’ve made a couple friends here, in this time. But they’ve all died from hunger by now._

_I have too, but that’s not the point._

_I’m hoping to make some war buddies. I know they’ll die, but at least I know. I could go to battles I know we won, but I don’t remember much from history class. Hell, I fought against France a lot, but you know that._

_I have a pin I nabbed from an officer pinned on my chest proudly. I’ve gotten pretty good at pickpocketing. Well, my next meal is coming, so I’ll write again when I’ve signed up for battle._

_-Nathan._

Simon stared at the page in shock. When had Nathan gone back in time? Was that why he’d changed? Did this mean that in the course of a couple days, Nathan had aged 200 years? Why didn’t he tell them?

His thoughts were interrupted by Nathan himself.

“Barry, I know you’re there.” He whispered just loud enough for Simon to hear. “And reading a journal is an invasion of privacy, you know that?”

Simon stayed silent and started to walk toward the exit in hopes of escape. Nathan blocked his path and rolled his eyes.

“Oh come on! The Japanese were stealthier than that!” he said straight to Simon’s face. “ And they weren’t Invisible! Or even trying to be stealthy!” He flailed his arms just so to prove his point.

Simon regretfully turned visible again and looked up at Nathan, the _new_ Nathan.

“What happened?” He asked, now expecting the true answer. Nathan Sighed.

“The twat sent me back in time. When I finally got back to this time, I killed him. A couple days ago, right after he sent me back.” He groaned. “I wish I timed it better.”

“So you’ve lived for 200 years?” Simon asked incredulously. It wasn’t the weirdest thing that’d happened. Nathan just nodded.

“Technically 220, or rather 240 years, if you count the ones before I went back in time.” Simon just gaped at him.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Simon asked, truly confused by lying.

“I’ve done some pretty nasty things. I’d have rathered you guys didn’t know.” He shuttered for a moment. “Can you promise not to tell anyone?”

Simon sighed. “Nathan. They’re going to find out.” Nathan scoffed.

“I planned out how to keep it from them for 200 years. I’m pretty sure I can keep it a secret.” He gloated. Simon looked at him seriously.

“I found out.”

“You were meant to.”he explained. “I knew you were going to go all creepy stalker on me the day I ‘got back’ so I just made it easier for you. Why do you think I took out all my journals? I was picking out a good entry for you to read before I went to the bathroom.”

Simon stared up at him, pretty surprised at what he heard.

“How are you going to keep it from Kelly?” He asked honestly. This whole thing was getting a little hard to take in.

“Same way I have been. I’ll think in French.” He said. “I did it for about a decade and a half anyway. It’s almost second nature.”

“Have you ever settled down?” Simon couldn’t help but ask, his curiosity was slowly overpowering his shock and confusion. Nathan scoffed.

“Oh, yeah.” he spouted out like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I’ve been married four-no- five times. They just usually left me once they realized I wasn’t going to age.” He shrugged. “It was fun while it lasted though.”

Simon gulped before asking the next question.

“Any children?”

“Yeah.” Nathan admitted uneasily. “I’ve got great grandchildren in the nursing home.”

“Do you...” Simon paused. “Do you ever visit them?”

“Yeah. Don’t know who I am, but I visit em.” He answered. “Anything else, Barry?”

“I don’t know what to ask. There’s too much to ask about.”

“Then I’m gonna go to bed. Think up some questions while you stalk me creepily. I’m tired.”

Nathan lied down on his mattress and closed his eyes, ignoring the still shocked Simon staring down at him.

“Night, Barry.” He said before he fell asleep faster than Simon thought was possible.


End file.
